Saudi Arabia-Sudan-1 (SAS-1): A regional submarine cable
Saudi Arabia-Sudan-1 (SAS-1) is a submarine telecommunications cable linking
Jeddah in Saudi Arabia to
Port Sudan in Sudan. With a length of 333 kilometers, it provides connectivity between these two Red Sea coastal cities. Officially recorded as ready for service in 2003 according to GeoCables data, the cable is listed as currently in service and is jointly owned by Sudatel, The Arab Investment Company, and center3.
While SAS-1 is operational, several aspects of its technical specifications remain undisclosed, including its design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, and technology. This lack of transparency makes it difficult to assess its comparative performance within the region. Furthermore, live latency measurements suggest significant variability in real-world performance, which may reflect broader network conditions beyond the cable itself.
Quick facts
| Length | 333 km |
| Ready for Service (RFS) | 2003 (GeoCables database) |
| Owners | Sudatel, The Arab Investment Company, center3 |
| Status | In service |
| Design Capacity | Not disclosed |
| Fiber Pairs | Not disclosed |
| Supplier | Not disclosed |
| Technology | Not disclosed |
| Landing Points | Jeddah (Saudi Arabia), Port Sudan (Sudan) |
| Corridor Alternatives | 2Africa, FALCON, Saudi Arabia-Sudan-2 (SAS-2) |
| Same Family Systems | Saudi Arabia-Sudan-2 (SAS-2) |
🗺 Show Saudi Arabia-Sudan-1 (SAS-1) on the interactive cable map
Route
SAS-1 connects Jeddah on the western coast of Saudi Arabia to Port Sudan on the eastern coast of Sudan, spanning the Red Sea. Both cities are significant hubs for international submarine cable systems. Jeddah hosts numerous cables, including 2Africa,
Asia Africa Europe-1 (AAE-1), and
PEACE Cable, while Port Sudan is a landing site for systems such as EASSy and Saudi Arabia-Sudan-2 (SAS-2). This dense cable presence underscores the strategic importance of the Red Sea corridor for global and regional connectivity.
Why it was built and what it carries
SAS-1 was likely built to enhance connectivity between Saudi Arabia and Sudan, facilitating telecommunications and data exchange across the Red Sea. The cable serves as part of a broader network that supports regional economic and technological integration. While specific traffic types or volumes carried by SAS-1 are not publicly disclosed, it is reasonable to assume that it handles a mix of voice, data, and internet services, typical of submarine cables in this region.
History: what can be established
GeoCables records SAS-1 as ready for service in 2003, though no conflicting industry sources have surfaced to challenge this date. The cable's ownership structure includes Sudatel, The Arab Investment Company, and center3, suggesting a collaborative investment approach. SAS-1 remains listed as in service, indicating ongoing operational relevance despite the availability of newer systems such as SAS-2 and 2Africa in the same corridor.
Capacity and technology
Publicly available information does not disclose SAS-1's design capacity, fiber pair count, supplier, or technology. Without operator documentation or reliable secondary sources, attributing specific figures or technical configurations would be speculative. Given its age, the cable likely predates more recent advancements in submarine cable technology, such as higher fiber counts and advanced wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) systems.
Latency: the physics
Theoretical latency calculations for SAS-1's wet segment yield a one-way light propagation time of approximately 1.6 milliseconds over 333 kilometers of fiber. The round-trip time (RTT) floor is computed at roughly 3.3 milliseconds. However, live measurements from GeoCables probes reveal significantly higher latencies: a minimum of 4.5 milliseconds and an average of 233.4 milliseconds for Jeddah-to-Port Sudan traffic, and a minimum of 87.9 milliseconds with an average of 168.0 milliseconds for Port Sudan-to-Jeddah traffic. These discrepancies highlight the influence of factors such as terrestrial network routing, terminal equipment, and internet congestion on real-world latency.
Redundancy: what happens if it breaks
The SAS-1 corridor is supported by alternative cables, including 2Africa, FALCON, and Saudi Arabia-Sudan-2 (SAS-2), all of which land at both Jeddah and Port Sudan. These systems provide redundancy and ensure continued connectivity in the event of a fault or outage on SAS-1. Repair logistics for submarine cables typically involve specialized cable ships equipped to locate and fix faults, though specifics for SAS-1's maintenance arrangements are not publicly documented.
Bottom line
- SAS-1 is a 333-kilometer submarine cable linking Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to Port Sudan, Sudan.
- Officially recorded as ready for service in 2003; no conflicting dates have been identified.
- Owned by Sudatel, The Arab Investment Company, and center3.
- Technical specifications such as design capacity, fiber pairs, and supplier remain undisclosed.
- Real-world latency measurements show significant variability, influenced by network conditions beyond the cable itself.
- Redundancy is provided by alternative systems in the same corridor, including 2Africa, FALCON, and SAS-2.